July 29, 1981
I remember the date well, as I was just one of hundreds of millions from around the world who tuned in that day to watch the wedding of Lady Diana Spencer to Prince Charles, who was often called the world's most eligible bachelor, at St. Paul's Cathedral in London.
Lady Di had become a worldwide sensation several months earlier when her engagement to the future king was announced. She seemed so pretty and shy as she showed off her big sapphire and diamond ring; he was less impressive, and I wasn't buying into the whole "eligible bachelor" thing. And, of course, when asked if he was in love during an interview on the occasion of his engagement, he famously responded, "Whatever in love means."
Oof. The cad.
Exactly two months before the royal wedding, my older sister, who was just a year older than Diana, became the first of my seven siblings to get married. She married a freshly minted lieutenant junior grade who had just graduated from the Naval Academy and, like Charles, wore a dashing military uniform to their wedding – as did all his groomsmen and many of the guests.
I was 13, and I was officially hooked on weddings and men in uniforms. (One of these fine men made me a Screwdriver, my first ever alcoholic beverage, at the reception – but that's for another Gen-X Files.)
I remember waking up pretty early to catch the July 29 proceedings across the pond; like this year, it was a Wednesday. But, even my dad watched as much of the wedding as he could before having to leave for work.
I got to the TV set just as Diana and her father set off in the magnificent royal carriage on their way to St. Paul's, which was, if I remember correctly, a controversial choice. It seems some believed it should have taken place at Westminster Abbey, but the stairs in front of St. Paul's so beautifully showed off the train of her dress.
The Dress
We have to talk about the dress. The design by the Emanuels was top secret, so we were all trying to guess what it looked like from what little we could see of it in the carriage. The dresses of the flower girls, who arrived ahead of Diana, provided some clues.
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When Diana arrived at the church and started to ascend the red-carpeted steps, her train kept on coming out of the carriage. The thing was a beast, measuring 25 feet long.
The royal wedding of Diana, Princess of Wales and Charles, Prince of Wales (July 29, 1981)... 🇬🇧
— Sarahh (@Sarahhuniverse) April 13, 2026
The wedding often referred to as the "wedding of the century". It was watched by an estimated 750 million people worldwide. ❤✨ pic.twitter.com/Ibeg69J4x7
Many people criticize it to this day as being too girlish and obviously the silk wrinkled in the carriage ride to the church, but I still think it was perfect for a young princess.
Yes, Diana became a fashion icon and would've likely picked out a much different dress had she been a bit older, but there's no denying it's one of the most iconic royal wedding dresses of all times.
The Ceremony
It was well-known that Diana's father was not in the best of health at the time, so the world held its collective breath as he made his way down the aisle with his daughter. Once she arrived safely at Prince Charles' side, we got a glimpse of his best man, the prince formerly known as Andrew. And that's all we'll say about that.
42 Years On: The Fairytale Wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles. pic.twitter.com/W05shnSGXx
— The Royal Family Channel (@RoyalFamilyITNP) July 29, 2023
The ceremony went off pretty well; there were few hiccups during the vows. The camera panned across the crowd often enough to show us who was in attendance. Nancy Reagan was there as the president's official representative. Princess Grace of Monaco was there, too, alongside a huge assortment of European royalty.
Those gathered outside the church let out a huge roar once the Archbishop of Canterbury pronounced the (happy?) couple man and wife.
The Carriage Procession Back to the Palace
Once the newlyweds were in their open top carriage, we viewers at home got to see just how large the crowds were that lined the streets of London. There was lots of British pomp and circumstance on display, which made getting up early to watch the spectacle worth it.
Once back at Buckingham Palace, the couple appeared on the balcony and shared an awkward kiss in front of the whole world. The whole affair was billed as a "royal fairytale," which, sadly, we now know wasn't exactly the case. <<cough, cough>> Camilla <<cough, cough>>
Your Turn
So, do you remember where you were on July 29, 1981? Did you watch Chuck & Di get hitched? Or did you just tune it all out?
